Exposition of Paramattha Dhammas III (Nibbāna)

Nibbāna paramattha dhamma is another kind of paramattha dhamma. The Buddha called it “nibbāna,” because it is the end of “vāna,” which means craving. The paramattha dhamma that is nibbāna is the cessation of dukkha. Citta, cetasika and rūpa are dukkha, because they are impermanent, they arise and then fall away. Desire should be eradicated so that there can be an end to dukkha. Desire is the origin, the cause of the arising of dukkha. It is the cause of the arising of the five khandhas, which are citta, cetasika and rūpa. Desire can be eradicated by developing paññā, wisdom, so that the characteristics of the arising and falling away of citta, cetasika and rūpa are penetrated. When paññā has been developed to the degree that nibbāna can be realized and clearly known, clinging and wrong view with regard to citta, cetasika and rūpa can be eradicated. Nibbāna is the dhamma that is the cessation of dukkha and the cessation of the khandhas. Nibbāna is reality, it is a paramattha dhamma, an ultimate reality and it is a dhamma that can be clearly known.

Nibbāna paramattha dhamma has been classified as twofold:

• sa-upādisesa nibbāna dhātu, nibbāna with the khandhas remaining;

• an-upādisesa nibbāna dhātu, nibbāna without the

  khandhas.

“Upādi” in “upādisesa” is another designation of the five khandhas, which include citta, cetasika and rūpa. As to “nibbāna with the khandhas remaining,” this means that all defilements have been eradicated, but that the khandhas remain, arising and falling away in succession. As to “nibbāna without the khandhas remaining,” this means the final falling away of the five khandhas, not to arise again, that is, the parinibbāna, the final passing away, of an arahat.

Thus, two kinds of nibbāna have been proclaimed.

When the Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi-tree, he attained nibbāna with the khandhas remaining, sa-upādisesa nibbāna dhātu. He completely eradicated defilements and all the dhammas (citta and cetasikas) accompanying defilements, so that they could never arise again. However, the khandhas were still remaining, namely, citta, cetasika (which were without defilements) and rūpa, arising and falling away in succession.

We read in “As it was said” (“Minor Anthologies”, As it was said, the Twos, Ch. II, VII) that the Buddha said to the monks:

“Of what sort, monks, is nibbāna with the basis still remaining? Herein, monks, a monk is arahat, one who has destroyed the cankers (defilements), who has lived the life, done what was to be done, laid down the burden, won the goal, worn out the fetter of becoming, one released by perfect knowledge. In him the five sense faculties still remain, through which, as they have not yet departed, he experiences pleasant and unpleasant objects, undergoes pleasure and pain. The end of attachment, aversion and ignorance of that monk, is called, monks, the element of nibbāna with the basis still remaining.”

An-upādisesa nibbāna is nibbāna without the khandhas remaining. When the Buddha, between the twin Sal trees, attained parinibbāna, his final passing away, this was an-upādisesa nibbāna, the final falling away of the khandhas. Citta, cetasika and rūpa fell away for good, never to arise again. This was the cessation of rebirth, the end of the cycle of birth and death.

There are four stages of attaining enlightenment and at each of these stages defilements are eradicated. The sotāpanna (stream-winner, who has attained the first stage of enlightenment), the sakadāgāmī (once-returner, who has attained the second stage of enlightenment), and the anāgāmī (non-returner, who has attained the third stage of enlightenment) are “learners” (sekha), because they have to continue to develop higher degrees of paññā in order to eradicate the defilements which are still remaining. The arahat is a “non-learner” (asekha), because he has eradicated all defilements completely, he has reached perfection and does not need to develop higher degrees of paññā any longer.

Nibbāna paramattha dhamma can be classified according to three characteristics:

• voidness, suññatta,

• signlessness, animitta,

• desirelessness, appaṇihita.

Nibbāna is called voidness, suññatta, because it is devoid of all conditioned realities (saṅkhāra dhammas). It is called signlessness, animitta, because it is void of “signs” of conditioned realities. It is called desirelessness, appaṇihita, because it is without any basis of desire, namely, conditioned realities.

When someone has developed paññā to the degree that he is about to attain enlightenment, he may penetrate the dhammas that appear at those moments as impermanent, as dukkha, or as anattā. Only one of these three general characteristics can be realized at a time. When he attains nibbāna, his way of emancipation is different depending on which of the three general characteristics of conditioned dhammas he has realized in the process during which enlightenment is attained. When he realizes dhammas that appear as impermanent, he becomes liberated (realizes the four noble Truths) by the emancipation of signlessness (animitta vimokkha). When he realizes dhammas as dukkha, he becomes liberated by the emancipation of desirelessness (appaṇihita vimokkha). When he realizes dhammas as anattā, non-self, he becomes liberated by the emancipation of voidness (suññatta vimokkha).

With regard to these three ways of emancipation, vimokkha, four different aspects can be discerned:

• By predominance – when someone realizes dhammas as impermanent, signlessness emancipation, animitta vimokkha, is predominant. When he realizes dhammas as dukkha, desirelessness emancipation, appaṇihita vimokkha, is predominant. When he realizes dhammas as anattā, voidness emancipation, suññatta vimokkha, is predominant.

• By steadfastness – when someone realizes dhammas as impermanent, the citta is steadfast by signlessness emancipation. When he realizes dhammas as dukkha, the citta is steadfast by desirelessness emancipation. When he realizes dhammas as anattā, the citta is steadfast by voidness emancipation.

• By inclination – when someone realizes dhammas as impermanent, the citta is guided by the inclination to signlessness emancipation. When he realizes dhammas as dukkha, the citta is guided by the inclination to desirelessness emancipation. When he realizes dhammas as anattā, the citta is guided by the inclination to voidness emancipation.

• By the way of being led unto nibbāna – when someone realizes the aspect of impermanence, the citta is being led unto nibbāna, cessation, by the influence of signless emancipation. When he realizes the aspect of dukkha, the citta is being led unto nibbāna by the influence of desirelessness emancipation. When he realizes the aspect of anattā, the citta is being led unto nibbāna by the influence of voidness emancipation.